Taker always took care of his opponents when executing that move. Still, some guys were terrified of taking it. The way you protect yourself on the receiving end is to basically bury your face in your opponent's crotch. Of course, I doubt that everyone who employed this practice did so out of "fear."

Taker's was still much safer than the piledriver version in which the wrestler lands on his ass. It seems there's less room for error. It is also this version with which Owen Hart severely damaged Steve Austin's neck:

Taker always took care of his opponents when executing that move. Still, some guys were terrified of taking it. The way you protect yourself on the receiving end is to basically bury your face in your opponent's crotch. Of course, I doubt that everyone who employed this practice did so out of "fear."

Taker's was still much safer than the piledriver version in which the wrestler lands on his ass. It seems there's less room for error. It is also this version with which Owen Hart severely damaged Steve Austin's neck:

It's hard to say who was at fault, although Owen seems to have taken the blame. The Hart family reportedly resented Austin's segment on the tribute show the RAW after Owen's accident. They felt it was a bit insincere since it was well-known that Steve had a red ass over the incident. Regardless...

It's hard to say who was at fault, although Owen seems to have taken the blame. The Hart family reportedly resented Austin's segment on the tribute show the RAW after Owen's accident. They felt it was a bit insincere since it was well-known that Steve had a red ass over the incident. Regardless...

Dynamite used to use that piledriver variation in Japan.

Harts. . What did they want Austin to say? Stay in character "I'm glad tha sumbitch is dead!"

I agree .. he took wrestling to personal / serious Montreal screw job.. refused to drop the belt in canada

Nobody will ever convince me that Montreal wasn't a work, but yes: Bret sounds like a bitter woman. Have you ever read his book? He's basically a "wrestling tragedy" (his own favorite term) who made a fortune travelling the world, banging hot women on every continent, doing drugs, and wearing spandex while pretending to fight. Sure, he hit a few bumps in the road and experienced some setbacks along the way, but SO DO WE, BRET...SO DO WE.

It's not a finisher, but does anyone remember the face-spot Rock used to do in which he'd throw a series of right hands at his opponent's face while backing them into the ropes? Then, amidst the flurry, Rock would pause, spit in his hand, and throw one more punch that would send the other guy over the top rope.

I always thought that move sucked until I saw him do it on Big Show. That took it to a whole new level. They did a lot of stupid shit with Rock's character, but that was at the top of the list.

It's not a finisher, but does anyone remember the face-spot Rock used to do in which he'd throw a series of right hands at his opponent's face while backing them into the ropes? Then, amidst the flurry, Rock would pause, spit in his hand, and throw one more punch that would send the other guy over the top rope.

I always thought that move sucked until I saw him do it on Big Show. That took it to a whole new level. They did a lot of stupid shit with Rock's character, but that was at the top of the list.

Just my opinion, but the Fed started taking things a little too far in that respect around that time. One of the other things that irked me was how the show almost became "staged for the cameras" rather than the cameras capturing what was happening.

For instance, there was a vignette with Austin and Booker T shot inside of a church. They used cameras inside of the confessionals. To me, stuff like that ruined the element/feel a bit.

That Rock/Mankind halftime show during the Super Bowl the one year; the action was good and entertaining until Mick lowered a forklift load onto Rock and right before the "pin," they cut to a shot of Rocky's face from the point of view of the lowering lift. That kind of ruined the storied illusion.

Just my opinion, but the Fed started taking things a little too far in that respect around that time. One of the other things that irked me was how the show almost became "staged for the cameras" rather than the cameras capturing what was happening.

For instance, there was a vignette with Austin and Booker T shot inside of a church. They used cameras inside of the confessionals. To me, stuff like that ruined the element/feel a bit.

That Rock/Mankind halftime show during the Super Bowl the one year; the action was good and entertaining until Mick lowered a forklift load onto Rock and right before the "pin," they cut to a shot of Rocky's face from the point of view of the lowering lift. That kind of ruined the storied illusion.

I agree. Compare that to the vignette if the Horsemen following Dusty and busting his hand where they threaten the camera guy the whole time.

Taker always took care of his opponents when executing that move. Still, some guys were terrified of taking it. The way you protect yourself on the receiving end is to basically bury your face in your opponent's crotch. Of course, I doubt that everyone who employed this practice did so out of "fear."

Taker's was still much safer than the piledriver version in which the wrestler lands on his ass. It seems there's less room for error. It is also this version with which Owen Hart severely damaged Steve Austin's neck:

When Owen did the piledriver .. he did like Paul orndoff used to.. he jumped..Taker kneels slowly.. the tombstone could be done a lot better .. at least make it look like the head touched the canvas.. he wont hurt his opponent they way the taker performs it..

When Owen did the piledriver .. he did like Paul orndoff used to.. he jumped..Taker kneels slowly.. the tombstone could be done a lot better .. at least make it look like the head touched the canvas.. he wont hurt his opponent they way the taker performs it..

Did you ever see Jerry Lawler perform a piledriver?

It looked dangerous as fuck but supposedly towards the end him, Taker and a few select others were the only ones allowed to perform the maneuver because they were the safest at it.